Dragonfly
by A Navy Brat
Summary: Jonny and Jessie finally get to spend some time together after several years apart; then a sudden series of events take places that make both of them wonder if they really are 'just best friends.'
1. Transitus

**Title:** Dragonfly

**Chapter Title:** Transitus

**Author:** A Navy Brat

**E-mail:** catnmouse90637@yahoo.com

**Part:** 1 of 3

**Rating:** PG-13 for language

**Warnings:** For those who have not watched _Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures_, the story may be confusing. For those who are looking for a hopelessly romantic J&J piece, this is not one.

**Summary:** Jonny and Jessie finally get to spend some time together after several years apart; then a series of events take place that make both of them wonder if they really are "just best friends."

**Disclaimer:** All characters in this piece are owned by and copyrighted to Hanna-Barbera and whoever took part in the creation of _Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures_. This is an original piece that does not intend to infringe upon their copyright and is strictly a non-profit endeavour. All characters and lyrics are used without permission. Characters and stories are in no way affiliated with, approved of or endorsed by Hanna Barbera. All other materials copyright by A Navy Brat, 2001. All rights reserved. If you wish to post this piece at some other website, please inform me first at the e-mail address given above. Constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated. Personal criticisms should be sent to the address above. Thank you.

Dragonfly

Chapter 1: Transitus

By A Navy Brat, December 11, 2001

   "I must be getting out of shape. That marathon was harder than I remembered it," Jonny sighed as he dunked his head under the hot stream from the showerhead. "Or maybe because a certain redhead wasn't there trying to kick my butt." He grinned. It had been, what, two years since he last saw her? Well, not really. He had "seen" her just two days ago, when she called him to apologize for not being able to participate in the marathon. "I have to meet with my mentor about my doctorate," she had said.

   "Tsk, tsk, Jessie the procrastinator," he ribbed.

   "Hey! It's not my fault that he was out for two weeks with the flu! Or else I could have gotten that Ph.D. before you, Hot Shot."

   "Don't remind me."

   "Of your doctorate thesis…"

   "Hey! That was low." He was awarded with her laughter. "I owe you one, Ace."

   "It's not like you could have kicked my butt in the marathon anyway."

   "Wanna bet?" He heard the chime of the doorbell in the background. "Uh oh. I'd better let you go get that. I'll see you soon."

   "See you, Jonny."

   "Bye, Jess."

   But talking to a hologram wasn't the same as talking with Jessie. Not even one developed by his dad. Jonny sighed again. It would be another three weeks, at best, before he finally got a chance to see Jess again. Unless, of course, she decided to spend the summer with Estella in Columbia on another dig, like she had for the past two summers. And then his own prof wanted him at Harvard during the winter to help with research and Jessie was due back at Oxford in the spring to present her findings to the panel. The rest of the time they'd be running orbits around the globe pitching for Quest Enterprises; if they were lucky, they just might meet while waiting for connecting flights at Tokyo's airport. Jonny wryly smiled. Which reminded him, he had better brush up on his Japanese.

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   In the room's dim light, Jessie squinted at her watch. 12:42 p.m. Monday, Taiwanese time. Well, there was a 12-hour time difference between Taipei and Palm Key, Florida, which meant that it was 12:42 a.m. Monday in Palm Key. So much for calling Jonny. Although he had told her to call before she left, Jessie seriously doubted he would be up at that hour. She would have a chance to talk to him soon enough. She had a flight at 5:30 that afternoon back to Palm Key for a two-week vacation before hopping over to see how her fellow researchers were faring at Oxford. Unless the Japan deal completely fell through and Jonny had to go back, she would get to talk with him then.

   As she packed the last of her bags and prepared to head out the door, Jessie's cell rang. She pressed the tiny button on her headset to answer. "Hello?"

   "Heya, Ace. Thought you said you were going to call."

   "Jonny? It's two in the morning where you are! What are you still doing up?" She grunted as she heaved the suitcase into an upright position and began rolling it out the door.

   "Nothing much. Fiddled around with Questworld some. Got worried when you didn't call and wondered if someone snatched you again."

   "Sorry. I didn't think you were up and I didn't want to wake you at that ungodly hour."

   "I was planning to stay up for a while longer. I'd much rather be woken up by your call than by the radio telling me that you've been ransomed again." She could hear him typing something into IRIS in the background.

   _He's probably checking my flight plan_, she thought.

   "Point taken. How's Julie?" There was a slight hesitation on the other end before Jonny answered.

   "I wouldn't know. She hasn't called me since we broke up."

   "Ouch. When?"

   "'Bout two weeks ago." Again, there was a slight pause before he continued. "She made her financial interests a little too obvious."

   "I'm sorry."

   Jessie heard Jonny shift and slightly sigh. "Yeah, well, things like this are to be expected."

   "Hey, Jonny, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm right here."

   "I know Jess. Thanks."

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   Jonny swept Jessie into a hug as she emerged from the _Dragonfly_. "Oh, wow, I haven't seen you in so long," he gasped. "You look wonderful, Ace."

   "Same to you, Hot Shot. You've grown."

   "A bit. C'mon, we have some serious catching up to do." He picked up her luggage before she could protest. "Milady?" he asked, proffering his arm.

   "Why, thank you, Mr. Quest," she answered, dipping in a mock curtsey. The two strode arm in arm to the house, already laughing over old acquaintances and shared memories.

   "She's matured quite a bit, Race," remarked Dr. Quest.

   "Yeah," assented Race as he clambered out of the pilot's seat, "sometimes faster than I wish she would."

   "Same goes for Jonny," sighed Dr. Quest.

   "But y'know, even now, I trust that boy with my life." Race turned towards the house, grumbling, "I don't see my daughter for two years and the first thing she does is go off with someone else."

   Dr. Quest smiled and rubbed his eyes. He hoped Race was right; he couldn't think of anyone else who could handle his son.

   Inside the house, Jessie and Jonny were lounging in the sitting room, swapping stories from the past two years.

   "And then there was Garrett when he tried to make lunch for us once," began Jonny. "I realized he was a bit of a klutz, but, geez, I still don't know how he managed to catch his hair on fire while making instant noodles."

   Jessie laughed, throwing her hair back so it rippled and cascaded down her back. For a brief moment, Jonny was suddenly struck by how beautiful his childhood friend had become. "He wasn't hurt, was he?" she asked.

   His thoughts snapped back to reality and he answered, "No. He got the scare of his life and had an interesting buzz-cut look for a couple weeks, but he was fine. Barely even third-degrees." Jonny suddenly became quiet, looking at the water glass that he was playing with.

   "What 'cha thinking about, Hot Shot?" Jessie asked.

   "Hmm?" Jonny was still distant in his reverie. "Oh, I just remembered how I met Julie. She was a friend of Garrett's sister."

   "Do you have a picture of her?"

   "Yeah, I should, somewhere in my stack of stuff." He put down the water glass and the pair walked into Jonny's room, where he began rummaging through a stack of postcards, letters, and photographs. "She's a redhead just like you, with green eyes, too. Here's the last photo we took together." Jonny handed Jessie the photograph while continuing. "This was from about a week before we broke up."

   Jessie noticed that the picture had been taken at the cliffs behind the Maine Compound. "You brought her here?" she asked, eyebrows arched. She had never known him to bring any of the girls he had dated in college and grad school back to the Maine Compound.

   "Yeah. I actually thought it might go somewhere, but once she figured out who I was, she became…a little too interested in finances." He was suddenly interested in the pen in his pocket and began playing with it.

   "Oh." Jessie swallowed.

   "What's wrong, Ace?" Jonny looked up at the strange catch in Jessie's voice.

   "I met a kid like that in Oxford."

   She had hit it off pretty well with Jeffrey, until he found out her dad was a close friend of Dr. Quest's. Then he had become…slightly too affectionate. _Like damn well trying to force himself on me_. But Jeffery had not bothered to figure out what Race did. As a result, he had not known that rugby player build gave him a disadvantage: It was a lot farther to the ground and there was more flesh to bruise.

   Jessie shot a look at Jonny's pinched face. "Mind you, I didn't tell my dad for a reason."

   "Then why'd you bother telling me?"

   "Because I'm trusting you're not going to go hunt him down and beat his face in."

   "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

   "Because I already have."

   "Not good enough, but it'll do, for now."

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   "Haven't you ever thought it would be nice to settle down a little, not always worrying about catching the next flight? I mean, we have our degrees, so it's not as if we're unqualified to take a more established job," Jessie mused as she swivelled in the chair in Jonny's room.

   "Jonny? Jessie? Race? Can you come into the library?" Dr. Quest asked through the intercom.

   Jonny and Jessie interrupted their conversation and looked at each other. Jonny vaulted up from his bed and waited for Jessie before they both headed downstairs to the library. Race and Dr. Quest were already waiting for them when they got there.

   "What's up, Dad?" Jonny carefully looked at his father. In the four years he had been away getting his degree and off working for Quest Enterprises, he had never noticed how much his father had aged, although still very active for his 57 years.

   Jessie was simultaneously making a similar examination of her father. Race was still Race, except maybe a little slower. But he could still do a pretty damn good job of kicking butt when necessary. There was no question that he was still formidable but there was also no question that he was getting a bit old for his job at 50.

   "Jonny, Jessie, I have a proposal for both of you," Dr. Quest began. "Both of you have been out globe-hopping for a while now and I would like to see more of you. How about officially becoming my personal assistants?"

   Jonny and Jessie shot surprised glances at one another as Dr. Quest continued.

   "I know that you guys enjoy travelling and such, but after the last time Jessie got snatched, I've been worried and thinking about bringing you two back to Maine and Palm Key to work directly with me on some of the prototypes that I've developed. And quite frankly, with Hadji in Bangalore again, I could use help." Dr. Quest paused. "What do you guys think?"

   Race broke in first. "Yeah doc, you do have a point about security. It would be much safer..."

   Jessie cut him off. "Dad, I can take care of myself. I'm 22. I really don't need a half-cracked bodyguard tagging around perpetually like some love-sick puppy."

   Jonny piped up. "Jess, we all know you know how to kick butt. You've taken down Race a couple times. You're capable of self-defence when it's hand-to-hand-combat, but when it's twenty to one, I'm sorry, you're a little on the short end. We were just talking about how nice it would be to actually know what time zone we're in. I don't know about you, but I'm interested. Very."

   Jessie shrugged. "I didn't say I'm not, but I'm saying that security shouldn't really be that much of a consideration. And you're right. It would be nice to know what time zone we're in. Right now, I think it's the Eastern, right?"

   Jonny wryly smiled. "Really? I thought it was the Pacific. Joking aside though, Dad, I think it's a great idea."

   "What about you, Jess?" Race asked.

   "I share Jon's opinion. It would be nice to spend a little more time than two weeks a year with my family."

   "Great! So you guys will take it?"

   Jonny and Jessie gave one last look at each other before simultaneously nodding.

   "Then it's settled. When do you guys want to start?"

   "Whenever you want us to."

   "How about right now?"

   "Sounds great. What do we do?"

   "Well…sweeping the lab floor would be nice…"

   "Dad!"

   "Dr. Quest!"

   "I'm kidding, I'm kidding…Sheesh."

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   "Hey Jessie!" Gabrielle called from across the movie theatre parking lot.  Jessie had known Gabrielle from high school when the girl had been one of numerous girls pursuing Jon. They had eventually become fairly good friends and Jessie occasionally talked with her on the phone while travelling. Jessie waved back as Gabrielle ran up. "Hey, chica! When did you get back?"

   "About a month ago."

   "What? And your job hasn't spirited you away yet? I'm disappointed, Jessie. I thought you were invaluable to the company. I thought no one could make a sales pitch like you. And here you are, grazing." Laughter sparkled in Gabrielle's eyes.

   Jessie laughed. "Oh ye of little faith. I just got a new job with QE based here, so I won't be globe-hopping as much as I used to."

   A sly glint appeared in Gabrielle's eye. "You still single, chica?"

   Jessie groaned. "Who are you trying to set me up with now?"

   "A friend of a friend," she chirped happily, ignoring Jessie's sarcastic tone. "His name's Paul Davin. He just graduated from Columbia. He seems like a nice guy."

   "No."

   "Oh, come on, chica! Live a little, will you? C'mon, just see him once. Please?"

   "No."

   "Please?"

   Jessie let out an exasperated sigh. "What makes me think that you've already set me up with him without my knowing of it?" Gabrielle just looked at her with pleading eyes. Jessie sighed again. "Fine. _One_ date. _If_ I like him, I may see him again."

   "Cool!" Gabrielle began to bounce off. "I'll email him your number!" she called over her shoulder.

   _That girl has far too much fun matchmaking_ Jessie thought with a shake of her head.

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   Jessie flopped back on her bed, throwing her head so that her shimmering hair cascaded down the side. She propped herself up on one elbow and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Only 10? She had thought it would be later than that. Not that she minded the date ending early. It thankfully ended Paul's attentions early. She had gone on a double date with Jon and Aurora and couldn't help but watch them closely through the entire thing. Paul had complained that she wasn't paying any attention to him. But there had happened to be something more important occupying her attention. Something about Aurora just didn't…settle. Her entire demeanour towards Jon wasn't right. It wasn't sycophantic or servile or anything, it was just… expectant. As though she expected for him to break out something expensive. She had the mercenary look, as though she expected money. Didn't help that she already knew how well off Jon was, considering she lived in Rockport. Aurora didn't feel anything for him. Jessie was sure of that. The only feelings Aurora had were for his money.

   Jon settled back in his chair. He knew that Aurora had an eye out for his cash. As if every other girl in Maine and Florida didn't. Well, there was one girl who didn't, but they were more like really close cousins than anything. Jon frowned at the recollection of that night's date. Paul had been so damn forward. He had been practically begging for attention. Except it was _attention_. He kept on trying to steal kisses from Jessie and put his hand on her thigh. If Race had been there, Paul probably would have ended up _pirdiendo su cabeza_. Hell, Jon had to keep his own fist in check when he saw what Paul was doing. Jessie could more than take care of herself, which she did, but Jon couldn't help but feel protective. When Paul and he had been left standing in line to buy tickets for the movie while the girls visited the water closet, Paul had accused him of trying to steal his girlfriend. Jon replied that he and Jessie were best friends and confidants, nothing more. That had not seemed to satisfy Paul, but Jessie, who had just walked back and heard what was going on, had broken in and with a pointed glare, informed Paul that she was his date, not his girlfriend, that they were not going out, and that he should leave off beating on her best friend.

   "But doll," Paul had began.

   "And I am not your doll." Jessie finished. That had ended the conversation and Paul had lapsed into a sulky silence during the rest of the date.

   Jessie's mind drifted back to the movie. She had talked with Aurora while there and the questions Aurora had asked were…prying. Almost as if she were trying to interrogate Jessie without interrogating. How long had she lived with Jon? Who does he hang out with? What did Jessie think of him? How many cars did they have? What types of gadgets did they have? How wealthy was Dr. Quest? How serious was Jon about getting married? How many girls had Jon gone steady with? All the while Jessie could only think _What the hell does any of this have anything to do with you, ditz?_ And an airhead Aurora definitely was. She was aghast that Jessie had come in jeans and a t-shirt—_We're going to a movie and a quick dinner. What do you expect me to wear?_—whereas Aurora's main objective seemed to be how scandalous she could be without being scandalous. Yes, Aurora definitely had an eye out for Dr. Quest's piggy bank and had the collective intelligence of a beetle.

   Jon swivelled around and propped his feet up against his bed. He was restless. Jon knew why, but was also pretty sure that finding Paul Davin and smashing his face in wasn't legal. He got up and padded down to the gym in the basement. Not surprisingly, Race was there, jabbing away at a punching bag.

   "Heya, kid. Isn't it kinda early for you to be back from your date? It's only 10.30," Race grunted.

   "Dinner was short, movie just as short and we came back right after the movie ended," Jon answered. He picked up his staff and twirled it, checking for balance. "Care for a sparring partner?"

   "Sure," replied Race, looking curiously at Jon. Usually the boy wasn't this pensive. "Something wrong with you and Aurora?" he asked.

   Jon flashed a half-grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Besides the fact that she's after my father's very deep pockets and doesn't care a whit about me, nothing. I'm actually thinking about Jessie's date. Are you ready?"

   Race changed his grip on the staff to a slightly more comfortable position. "Is that bitterness I hear, Jonathan? Yeah, I'm ready."

   Jon crouched slightly and shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, waiting for Race's attack. It came a moment later. Jon easily blocked the older man's initial strike, then counterattacked with a curving swing of his own. "Yeah," he panted after they separated, "I'm a little bitter. Only thing most girls see me as is a money spigot. Only girl I can think of who doesn't is Jessie. But like I said, I'm a little more concerned with Paul right now." He came at Race with another curving swing. Race blocked it, then spun his staff around to give Jon a hard jab in the stomach. Jon stumbled back and fell on the mat, but quickly flipped to give himself more distance between himself and Race.

   "What'd you say his name was?" Race asked.

   "Paul Davin."

   They were interrupted by Jessie coming down the steps. "Jon, phone call. It's Aurora."

   Jon dropped his staff and picked up the phone. "Thanks," he smiled. "Hey, Aurora. Can we talk?"

   Race shot a worried glance at Jessie as she headed back upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. What was this Paul Davin doing to his little girl? Whatever it was, Jon was uneasy, which made Race very worried.

© A Navy Brat, 2001


	2. Lacrimae

**Title:** Dragonfly

**Chapter Title:** Lacrimae

**Author:** A Navy Brat

**E-mail:** catnmouse90637@yahoo.com

**Part:** 2 of 3

**Rating:** R for language and sexual content

**Warnings:** For those who have not watched _Jon Quest: The Real Adventures_, the story may be confusing. For those who are looking for a hopelessly romantic J&J piece, this is not one. This chapter also deals with the subject of attempted rape; it is intended for a mature audience.

**Summary:** Jon and Jessie finally get to spend some time together after several years apart; then a series of events take place that make both of them wonder if they really are "just best friends."

**Disclaimer** All characters in this piece are owned by and copyrighted to Hanna-Barbera and whoever took part in the creation of _Jon Quest: The Real Adventures_. This is an original piece that does not intend to infringe upon their copyright and is strictly a non-profit endeavour. All characters and lyrics are used without permission. Characters and stories are in no way affiliated with, approved of or endorsed by Hanna-Barbera. All other materials copyright by A Navy Brat, 2001. All rights reserved. If you wish to post this piece at some other website, please inform me first at the e-mail address given above. Constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated. Personal criticisms should be sent to the address above. Thank you.

**Author's Notes:** "Lacrimae" means "Tears" in Latin.

**My thanks to:** Jason and Peter, without whom this fic would have died a slow and painful death because of lack of information.

Dragonfly

Chapter 2: Lacrimae

By A Navy Brat, April 2, 2002

   "Paul, get off me! No! Stop it!" Jessie sent a hard right towards his jaw. She connected and he slumped back, dazed, which gave her the time she needed to scramble out of the car. She had activated the warning on her watch four minutes ago. Which meant she had another two minutes to wait until Jon and her father and hopefully the police arrived. Why the hell had she not listened to her gut feeling telling her not to go with Paul tonight? Why the hell had she not listened to Jon's warnings?

   Jessie spun her attention back to Paul; he had just tumbled out of the car. He staggered to his feet just as Jessie began backing away. She gave him a hard chop to the back of the head. He slumped forward and she ensured his state of unconsciousness by kneeing him in the face. The alcohol must have dulled the pain because he was still conscious, and now infuriated.

   Before Jessie could react, Paul had pulled a gun out of his waistband and pulled off a shot. Jessie ducked and the bullet ripped cleanly through her left shoulder, embedding in one of the trees behind her. She stayed crouched, shuddering in pain and chewing the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. Just one more minute. She just had to survive one more minute…

   She heard Paul's footsteps falling near her, his breathing heavy from the fight, the steady drip of blood from her shoulder onto the multicoloured autumn leaves. Thirty more seconds. Jessie risked a quick glance through her tangled hair and saw that Paul had lowered the gun and it hung loosely in his right hand. _Bend down, you bastard, so I can get a clean kick at that gun_ she ground. Paul crouched down and lifted Jessie's face with his left hand. His glacier blue eyes bore into her.

   He held the gun behind his back, well out of her kicking range. "What I want, I get, doll," he hissed, "and right now, I want you." He brought his mouth down hard on hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth and for the second time that night, Jessie wanted to vomit at the heavy stench of beer. She ticked off the remaining seconds in her head. Still no sound. Well, now she really had to improvise. But as long as Paul had that gun, her options were limited. Her left arm dangled uselessly at her side. Her movements were limited too.

   He broke the kiss and he reached down to undo her jeans. He reached down to pull one leg off, then the other. Her undergarment followed. He kneaded the inside of her thigh with his free hand. His touch made Jessie shiver with disgust. "It'll be good to fuck you," he whispered luridly.

   "Stop… please," Jessie's voice shook. Paul simply grinned meanly and began to undress himself. His right hand shifted slightly and as he rudely pulled at the zipper of his jeans, his hand dropped down to his side. He realized his cardinal mistake too late.

   Jessie lashed out with her left leg, striking him in the wrist. The gun dropped to the ground. Paul swore at the pain and bent down to retrieve it. Jessie punched him hard across the temple, stunning him. She ran towards the woods as three police officers converged on Paul. Enraged, he began to struggle. Jessie was afraid he would break loose. Barely visible on her peripheral vision, she saw a blond and black smudge streak across the clearing and land in the fray. In seconds, it was all over.

   Paul lay shackled, his nose still bleeding from the kneeing she had given him earlier, trussed up as pretty as a Christmas goose. Paramedics swarmed around her and as the adrenaline wore off, pain began to pulsate in her shoulder.

   "You have the right to remain silent."

   Her father's face.

   "BP falling."

   "Ponchita, Dad's here."

   Jon, holding her hand, his voice thick.

   "Jessie, you're gonna be okay."

   "Smith and Wesson Model 3953TSW."

   "Young man, I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to move."

   "Pulse 120."

   "One round fired, one round in the chamber."

   It hurts.

   "Let's get her stabilised, people. Get her on the gurney."

   The image before her blurred and she heard her father ask worriedly, "Is she going to be okay?" before she closed her eyes and faded into the black velvet.

   Jon strained against his father and the two officers holding him. "Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't go over there and rip that bastard's throat out," he growled, watching Paul getting loaded into the second ambulance. His father was about to answer when Race strode over. The red fury that had glazed Jon's eyes suddenly dissipated. "Jessie," he asked hurriedly, "how is she?" Dr. Quest relaxed his hold on his son's arm, as did the two officers, who exchanged unreadable glances with one another.

   "The paramedics say the wound is clean, didn't hit a main artery or vein or any bone. We'll know more when we get to the hospital. I'm riding with her in the ambulance; they told you two to take the chopper."

   Jon was already partway there before Race had finished the sentence and only slowed long enough to throw a "Hurry up, Pop!" over his shoulder before _cush_, _cush_-ing into the dark. Dr. Quest turned around only to find Race already jumping into the ambulance and pulling the door closed. He ran after his son, knowing that if he didn't make it into the copter within the next minute and a half, he would be left behind.

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   "We'll need a statement after she's regained consciousness, Mr. Bannon," the detective informed Race politely.

   "Yes," Race rubbed his face tiredly. "Yes, of course. I'll let you know when she's ready." The detective nodded in understanding and left them, bumping into the doctor on the way out.

   The three men stood up. "Well Dr. Carter? How is she?" Dr. Quest asked.

   "She'll be fine. There was only tissue damage, which will take about a month to six weeks to heal. We just want to keep her here for a day or two for observation, then she'll be released to you. She's already awake and asking for all three of you. I'm afraid you won't be able to stay for very long, though, because the painkillers will make her drowsy and rather hazy." Dr. Carter paused. "Also," he began rather hesitantly, "because of the situation, we would suggest running a rape kit on Jessica when she wakes up to determine if – "

   Race sharply cut off Dr. Carter. "I will talk to my daughter about it. We'll get back to you."

   Dr. Carter nodded. "All right. She's in room 324, the fourth room on the left."

   The girl's father gave him a curt nod and a firm handshake before disappearing down the hallway. Dr. Quest followed his example. The young man lingered a bit after, giving him a grateful smile and a quiet "Thank you" before joining the two older men.

   Dr. Carter shook his head. "You know, the two of you have something going for both of you. It's just that neither one of you know it yet," he said quietly.

   Jessie focused on the ceiling tiles, trying to clear the last wisps of sleep from her mind. The room smelled like antiseptic. She glanced at her shoulder, now swathed in bandages. Her shoulder didn't hurt, which was a good thing. It must be the painkillers, Jessie thought. The bed was comfortable enough, she thought as she tried to use her good arm to lever herself higher in the bed, but it didn't change the fact that she hated hospitals.

   "Jessie!" Her father rushed over. "What are you doing?"

   "Trying to get up higher in the bed," she said. "My lower back is killing me." Race could see how she flinched when he reached for her and let his arms drop to his sides. She managed to scoot up higher into the bed.

   Dr. Quest and Jon approached as Race stepped away. "How are you doing, Ponchita?"

   "I'm a little sore but my arm doesn't hurt too much. Whatever painkiller they have me on, it on seems to be doing its trick." Jessie once again shifted, trying to get more comfortable. She grimaced as the move pulled on her injured shoulder but impatiently waved off both Jon's and Race's extended hands. "I can do this myself," she grumbled. Race retreated while Jon glanced at her worriedly.

   "Jessica," Race began hesitantly, "the hospital wants to do a rape kit on you to determine if you were…" He choked on the next word. "…raped and to gather evidence if you were."

   Jessie glanced quickly at her father before looking down again. "Daddy, I wasn't. But if it gathers evidence and would make you feel better, I'll do it."

   Race decidedly looked more than a little uncomfortable as he continued. "The police are also asking for a statement from you about what happened tonight. Detective Bennett said he would be by later to see if you were ready."

   Jessie's second fleeting look of well-repressed fear caused Jon to break in. "Can't it wait until morning at least? Let her rest up a bit and sleep. The detective can wait."

   Dr. Quest nodded in apparent agreement. "Let her sleep, Race. She needs it," he gently urged.

   Race relented, happy for the excuse to not push the issue. He bent down and kissed Jessie on the forehead, feeling how she forced herself to stay still. "I've already called your mother. She'll be flying up here from Colombia and should arrive by tomorrow. I've got a couple of loose ends to tie up, but I'll be back soon, okay?" Jessie nodded drowsily, the sedative and painkillers once again taking their toll. "Sleep well, Ponchita." He turned to go.

   Dr. Quest moved beside the bed and smiled at Jessie. "You're a strong woman, Jessica. Sleep well." He too turned to leave.

   Jon lingered by Jessie's bedside, moving to tuck an imaginary strand of hair behind her ear, letting his hand drop when he saw the suddenly wary look in Jessie's eyes. "Don't worry about me, Jon," she whispered. "I'll be fine."

   Race and Dr. Quest stood in the doorway, waiting for him. She could sense his hesitation at rejoining them. "C'mon Jon, let's go," she heard Dr. Quest kindly say.

   "I'll see you later, Jess," Jon quietly said. Then, with a last lingering look, he followed Race and Dr. Quest from the room. The serene and welcome darkness of sleep soon claimed her.

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   She could feel him forcing himself down on her and a hardness that shouldn't be where it was and suddenly, great, indescribable pain radiated out from within her and she was powerless to stop it and a great overbearing blackness was crushing her, crushing her, crushing her until she couldn't breathe… 

   Jessie awoke from her nightmare. She blinked several times in the dim hospital lighting before straightening up in bed and reaching for the water glass next to her. The glass trembled in her hand and she swore under her breath when some of the water dribbled down her chin and onto her hospital gown. She scrubbed her eyes with the back of her hand frustratedly and managed to sit up in bed well enough to swing her legs down. Grabbing the IV stand she slid out of bed and cautiously made her way to the bathroom in the dark, carefully avoiding jarring her arm. With her one good hand, she yanked the washcloth off of its ring and wet it, then ran it over her face.

   Jessie lifted her somewhat damp face and looked at herself in the mirror. The yellowish light in the bathroom lent an eerie, sickly sallow hue to her face. When Paul had kissed her, he had bitten her lower lip and now bruises were visible under it. More bruises dotted along the side of her jaw where his hand had grabbed her. Her right cheek was turning purple where he had backhanded her. Her eyes were darkly rimmed and her skin pale from the blood loss. Tears began to well up as memories of the night before surfaced. Of him grabbing her, of him kissing her, his tongue invading her mouth, unbuttoning her jeans, watching the gun go off, the searing pain radiating through her shoulder, the sickening stench of beer…

   "Get a grip Bannon," she muttered thickly as she angrily scrubbed her face again. She wrung out the cloth as best as she could before hanging it up and carefully made her way back to the bed. She clambered up and settled back and as she drifted off again, she hoped for no more nightmares, even as Paul's dark, menacing leer shaded the inside of her eyelids.

   When Jessie awoke again, sunlight illuminated the curtains that had been drawn over the window next to her bed. The midmorning sun streaked lightly against the darkened wall, just like the headlights of the night before, when Paul had pushed her so roughly down on the car seats… She suddenly felt dizzy and had difficulty breathing. The images were washing back up like an angry tide. Paul, with the gun, undoing the button on her jeans, his hands fondling her, touching her in places that… With a tremendous gasp of air, Jessie shoved the memories away and drew great shuddering breaths.

   _What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I losing it like this?_ She ran her hand through her hair distractedly. _I should be able to deal with this. Why am I not dealing? I should be stronger than this. It's not even as though anything actually happened. He never got past groping me. Nothing happened, damn it!_ She looked down at her shaking hands and willed them to be still. Her breathing began to slow.

   The gentle creaking of an opening door started Jessie and she spun around to face it. Race poked his head in the room and smiled when he saw that Jessie was awake. The smile quickly faded when he saw her frightened expression. Race inwardly sighed. He had seen enough of spook life to know what had just happened. Flashback. He still had them sometimes and now Jessie would too because of that bastard Davin. Race put aside his thoughts and strode into the room, leaving the door open a crack behind him.

   "Hi Ponchita. Did you sleep well last night?" Race settled down in the chair next to Jessie's bed.

   "I guess." Jessie used her good arm to distractedly run a hand through her hair. "Where are Jonny and Dr. Quest?"

   "Jonny's at the police station, being interviewed by the police. Dr. Quest should be coming by soon; he had something to finish up with at the Compound."

   Jessie knew that they would be holding shifts at the hospital to make sure she wasn't left alone. "When is the hospital going to run the rape kit on me?"

   Race shifted slightly in his chair before he answered. "They would like to do it as soon as possible to make sure that none of the evidence is lost."

   "As soon as possible as in right now?"

   "Pretty much. Although they'd be willing to wait –"

   "They'd better do it now then."

   Jessie heard her father slightly sigh as he got up out of his chair and disappeared from the room. She settled back into her bed, wincing when the move jostled her bad shoulder. The nurse came in shortly and led Jessie to an observation room.

   "Hi, Jessica? I'm Dr. Lising. I will be performing the examination today." A petite, rather pretty, Asian woman strode into the room.

   "Please, call me Jessie." Jessie was grateful that she made no attempt to shake her hand.

   "Before we start the examination, Jessie, I want to go over what we're going to be doing and why we're doing it." Dr. Lising began to explain the procedure to Jessie. "We're going to start with a pelvic examination, followed by a vaginal examination. If there is any evidence of injury, we'll perform a vaginal and anal swab. We'll also be taking photographs of your various injuries as evidence." Dr. Lising explained the remainder of the procedure quickly and efficiently.

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   An hour and a half later, Jessie returned to her room to be greeted by two strangers and a very irate Race.

   "Jessie," Race began, "the police would like to interview you now. If you don't feel up to it though, you don't have to," he hurriedly added.

   "That's okay, Dad. I'll talk to them now."

   Race nodded and left the room.

   The detectives introduced themselves to Jessie as William Bennett and Katharine Quinn and they settled down to begin the long questioning process.

   "Miss Bannon, we know this is a very difficult time for you and we really appreciate that you are trying to help us. Some of the questions we will ask you will be extremely personal; we're not trying to pry or accuse you of anything. We're just here to gather the facts as objectively as possible. If you feel uncomfortable about answering any questions, or don't understand how a question is relevant, feel free to ask us any questions and we'll do our best to answer them." Detective Quinn's voice was soothing.

   "Are you ready to start?" Detective Bennett quietly asked. Jessie nodded.

   "Were you acquainted with your assailant?"

   Jessie fought to keep her voice even. "Yes."

   "So you had known Mr. Davin prior to the assault on you last night?"

   "Yes."  
   "How long had you known each other?"

   "About a month."

   "Before the assault last night, had you ever had sexual intercourse with Mr. Davin?"

   This time, Jessie could not hold back the tremor in her voice. "No."

   "Jessica, we need you to –" Bennett began gently.

   Jessie arched an eyebrow and shot Bennett a glance that silenced him. "No," she repeated emphatically. "I have never had sexual relations with _anyone_. I am a virgin. If you are not satisfied with my word, I have just undergone a vaginal exam with Dr. Lising. Ask her for my medical chart." Jessie caught the look that Quinn shot Bennett. Much to Jessie's relief, Bennett shut up.

   "Has Mr. Davin ever attempted to have sexual intercourse with you?"

   "He's suggested that we 'fool around' a couple of times. He's groped me and things like that, but never what he tried to do last night." Jessie made sure her voice was steady.

   "You said 'things like that.' Things like what? Can you describe some of what he's done?"

   "He would put his hand on my thigh even after I'd moved it away. He's grabbed my butt before… He would get really close when we were dancing so he could grab my chest. He would try to kiss me even after I told him to stop."

   "So he sexually harassed you?"

   "Yes."

   "How long had the harassment gone on?"

   "For about two weeks prior to the assault."

   Each question was as probing as the previous and soon, Jessie answered them mechanically, wondering when the interrogation would end. Finally, the two detectives rose and said that they had enough information to file a report. They wished her a speedy recovery and informed her that they might be returning to gather more information for the DA's office. The detectives left.

   Jessie had a difficult time trying to fall asleep that night and when she finally did sleep, she was plagued by dreams.

© A Navy Brat, 2002


	3. Iustitia

**Title:** Dragonfly

**Chapter Title:** Iustitia

**Author:** A Navy Brat

**E-mail:** catnmouse90637@yahoo.com

**Part:** 3 of 3

**Rating:** R for language and sexual content

**Warnings:** For those who have not watched _Jon Quest: The Real Adventures_, the story may be confusing. For those who are looking for a hopelessly romantic J&J piece, this is not one. This chapter also deals with the subject of attempted rape; it is intended for a mature audience.

**Summary:** Jon and Jessie finally get to spend some time together after several years apart; then a series of events take place that make both of them wonder if they really are "just best friends."

**Disclaimer** All characters in this piece are owned by and copyrighted to Hanna-Barbera and whoever took part in the creation of _Jon Quest: The Real Adventures_. This is an original piece that does not intend to infringe upon their copyright and is strictly a non-profit endeavour. All characters and lyrics are used without permission. Characters and stories are in no way affiliated with, approved of or endorsed by Hanna-Barbera. All other materials copyright by A Navy Brat, 2001. All rights reserved. If you wish to post this piece at some other website, please inform me first at the e-mail address given above. Constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated. Personal criticisms should be sent to the address above. Thank you.

**Author's Notes:** "Iustitia" means "Justice" in Latin.

**My thanks to:** Jason and Peter, without whom this fic would have died a slow and painful death because of lack of information.

Dragonfly

Chapter 3: Iustitia

By A Navy Brat, January 1, 2003

   Jessie bolted upright in bed, her hair damp from tears and sweat. She couldn't remember the dream, but then again, she didn't need to remember it to feel the unmistakable fear. Angrily, she pushed her sticky hair away from her face and tried to slow her breathing. _Damn it, Bannon, since this entire thing started you've turned into a snivelling baby. Get a grip already._ Her breathing slowed as did her rapidly beating heart. There was a soft knock at the door and after a long pause, Jon stuck his head in the doorway.

   Jon had awoken at the sounds of thrashing and soft cries coming from Jessie's room. He instantly realised what it was. Not for the first time, he wished he could rip out Davin's throat. _Better let Jessie get dibs or else she'll be mad at me_, he thought humourlessly. The sounds soon subsided, but Jon knew better than to hope that Jessie had fallen asleep again. Carefully, he got out of bed and padded to her room. A soft knock at her door had no response. Perhaps she really had fallen back asleep, Jon thought. Hesitating for a second, he quietly opened the door and peered into the room.

   It was illuminated only by the moonlight that streamed in through the windows. Jessie sat curled up in her bed. Had he been anyone else, he never would have noticed the slight tensing in her arms and legs. He decided to remain in the doorway. She relaxed. "Hey," he said, weighing each word carefully before speaking. "I was up and heard you moving around. Is everything okay?" He studied her face intently in the dark.

   "I had another nightmare." She spoke so quietly that he could barely hear her. Jon could instantly sense her discomfort at his presence.

   "Would you like me to get you a cup of warm milk?" He felt silly the instant the words came out. Jessie was no four-year old, nor an invalid. _I'm going to get ripped a new one for this_, he thought. To his surprise, she acquiesced.

   "That would be nice." Jon hurried out of the room to the kitchen.

   Jessie had relaxed again by the time he returned with a mug of steamed milk. She sipped at it appreciatively as Jon sat down at the opposite end of the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?" he gently asked.

   "I don't remember it."

   Jon briefly wondered if her reply was truthful, but let the subject drop. Comfortable silence pervaded as Jessie finished her mug. Jon collected the cup and watched Jessie lie down again before quietly padding out of the room. "Good night, Jess," he called from the doorway.

   "Good night, Jonny. And thanks."

   Jon smiled at her use of his childhood nickname. "That's what I'm here for."

   Once settled in his own bed, Jon leaned his head against the wall. She had had nightmares almost every night for the first two weeks after coming back from the hospital. He would know, he had gotten up for each one of them. They were gradually becoming less frequent, although he doubted they would ever really go away. He thought back to the way she had tensed when he walked into the room. That had hurt. Realising that she, on some instinctive level, felt like she couldn't trust him.

   _She needs time_, Jon thought to himself. _She's my best friend and the very least I could give her would be time. Stop acting like a wounded puppy every time she hesitates to shake your hand._ Jessie really had gotten much better after coming back from the hospital. Her shoulder had healed nicely and the scar itself was barely visible.

   The trial was starting in two months. She was going to testify about that night. Jon wondered what new demons would be tormenting Jessie. 

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   "Could you describe the events of the night of September 14 for the court, Miss Bannon?" the prosecutor gently asked.

   "I had arranged earlier in the day for Paul…Mr. Davin…to pick me up at Rudy's Pizza Parlour in downtown Rockport. I was a little uncomfortable about going—I just had a gut feeling of some sort—but I went anyway, because I intended to tell Paul that night that I didn't want to see him anymore."

   The prosecutor interrupted. "Was there a reason you wanted to end your relationship with Mr. Davin?"

   "He was being…too forward. He would try to kiss me even after I told him not to. He would touch my leg and once tried to grab my chest."

   "How long had this been going on previously?"

   "It began the second time we had seen each other. September 14 would've been our third date."

   "Thank you. Please continue."

   "Jon, Jonathan Benton Quest, dropped me off at Rudy's at about 9.00. Mr. Davin was already there. I told Jon to pick me back up at 11.00. I had already told him that I was breaking off my relationship with Mr. Davin and before I got out of the car, Jon told me to be careful and to take care of myself. I told him I would and got out of the car. Mr. Davin greeted me, I got in his car and he started driving. I asked him where we were going and he told me that he wanted to surprise me.

   "We arrived at the edge of town in a wooded area around 9.30. He stopped the car and cut the engine. I started to tell him that I needed to talk to him when he cut me off and told me that it could wait. He reached into the back seat and pulled out the remains of a six-pack of beer. I noticed that three of the cans were missing and realized that he had been drinking. I wondered how come I didn't smell the alcohol earlier, but the windows and top had been rolled down the entire drive and he hadn't said anything. He offered me a can of beer and I declined. He opened a can for himself and started drinking. His pupils were dilated and his speech started slurring a little. When he got closer, I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

   "I was saying that I was going to drive him home when he interrupted me. He said, 'Do you know what would taste better than this beer right now? You.' Then he kissed me." Jessie's voice cracked imperceptibly but she cleared her throat and continued. "I have a warning signal installed into my watch. I activated it at this time. I tried to fight him off and finally managed to push him away. I said, 'Paul, you're drunk. I'm driving you home.' He became very combative at this point and grabbed and pinned my arms. He then forced me down on the seat and got on top of me."

   "So Mr. Davin had you pinned lying down on the car seat and was physically on top of you at this point?"

   "Yes."

   "Thank you. Please continue."

   "I tried to fight him off, to buy myself a little time. Each time I pushed him off he would pin me down again. It took me at least three or four minutes to finally get my right hand free and I punched him in the jaw. He finally fell back and I scrambled out of the car. He came after me so I hit him twice more, once on the back of the head and then kneed him in the face. I was backing away and was about to turn around and make a run for it. That's when he pulled the gun. I ducked and he fired and the bullet hit me in the shoulder. I dropped to my knees and he walked over and bent down. I had my face down and he lifted it up and said that he always got what he wanted and that he wanted me. Then he kissed me again and started to undo my jeans. I didn't dare resist because he had the gun and my left arm was useless."

   "What hand was the gun in?"

   "The right hand."

   "Can you please tell the court what happened next?"

   "He undressed me, then began undressing himself. His gun hand dropped a little while he was trying to unzip his jeans. I took the chance and kicked him in the wrist, then punched him across the temple and just ran."

   "Can you recall precisely what Mr. Davin said to you after he had shot you?"

   Jessie's voice wavered. "He said, 'What I want, I get, doll, and right now, I want you.'"

   "Did he say anything else?"

   "Yes."

   "Can you please tell the court what else he said?"

   Jessie's voice cracked almost imperceptibly. "He said, 'It'll be good to fuck you.'"

   "Thank you Miss Bannon. Your Honour, I have no further questions." The prosecutor strode back to his seat.

   Dr. Quest glanced over at his son. Jon's eyes were closed, his brow creased into a frown, hands clenched into fists. Dr. Quest sighed.

   The judge cleared his throat. "Seeing the lateness of the hour, this court shall be adjourned until nine a.m. Monday morning." He rapped the gavel and the crowd began to clear out.

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   The dream was back. He was there again, bearing down on her and she couldn't fight back. She tried to scream but the sound fell deadly in the void. Suddenly the void was filled with dreadful ringing laughter and she screamed and she screamed and she screamed…

   "Jess. Jess. Jessie, it's okay. It's a dream. You're safe here. It's a dream." Jon soothed Jessie as she shook and cried. Cautiously, he wound his arms around her and rubbed her back. "I'm here, Jess. It's me. It's okay," he whispered into her hair.

   The dreams had returned, more horrid than ever, growing progressively worse as the trial dragged on. Every night now, Jon woke to sounds of crying coming from Jessie's room. _Screw ripping out his throat_, Jon thought. _I'm going to cut off his balls and make him eat them, then rip out his throat. The bastard_. 

   Jon turned attention back to Jessie as her breathing returned to normal. Gently, he began to disengage himself. "Please," Jessie's soft, muffled voice stopped him. "Please, could you, could you h-hold me?"

   "Sure," he replied, easily winding his arms around her once more. 

   They sat like that for a long time, the silence occasionally punctuated by a dry sob. Carefully, Jon pulled Jessie into his lap, then swung his legs up onto her bed. She rested her head against his chest and Jon lightly draped an arm around her waist.

   "Do you want to talk about it?" he quietly asked. The pause was so long that he thought she had fallen asleep again.

   "They're always different." Her sudden answer was so hushed that he could barely hear her. "Sometimes I can see him, sometimes I can't. Sometimes I fight back and sometimes I don't. But I can always feel the fear. It's so dark and heavy and it feels like it could swallow me whole. And he's always in the dark, laughing and laughing and laughing.

   "And I feel so dirty. He may – may not have raped me, but he touched me. He touched me in places that no one – no one but my hu-husband should touch me." She turned her tear-stained face up to Jon. Her eyes were welling with water again and Jon carefully wiped away a stray tear that had escaped.

   "And sometimes I feel like it's my fault. Like I should've done something differently. I've gone over what's happened a hundred times in my head and I can't find anything I should've done differently. Not a damn thing. But still, there's this little voice in the back of my head that always pops out and says, 'You should've.'

   "And worst of all, worst of all, is I wonder if you have that same little voice that says, 'She should've.' I wonder if part of you blames me for what happened." Her voice tapered off into nothing, broken only by her hitching breaths.

   "No!" Jon cried. "No," he repeated more softly at her start. "I don't blame you. None of us blame you. That bastard had no right to do what he was doing, none at all. And you did everything possible to stop what was happening. Nobody could have done more than you did. Never doubt that. It's not your fault. You can't think that, okay? And anyone who does think that deserves to have their asses kicked."

   Jessie smiled slightly at Jon's last statement. The quietude continued until they were both asleep.

   Race started when he walked past the open door of Jessie's room. His daughter was sleeping peacefully for the first time in weeks—in the arms of his employer's son. Jon sat on the bed, propped up against the wall. Jessie was seated in his lap, her head resting against his chest. One of his arms was wrapped protectively around her waist, the other just under her shoulder.

   Race quietly walked in, attempting to not disturb the sleeping duo. Jon's eyelids suddenly fluttered open. "Race," he said softly. He started to sit up straighter, but that caused Jessie to slightly stir. Race motioned for him to not bother.

   "I heard her crying from another nightmare and I came in here to talk to her," he explained in a rush. "I guess I must've fallen asleep," he ended rather sheepishly.

   Race carefully looked over the youth before saying, "You realise I'm a former CIA operative with weapons training, right?"

   Jon visibly gulped. "Yes, sir."

   "Just wanted to remind you of that." Race turned and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him. He met Dr. Quest in the hallway.

   "Where's Jon? He's not in his room and IRIS reported that he hasn't left the Compound," Dr. Quest asked, somewhat worriedly.

   "Don't worry, I found him." Race jerked a thumb towards Jessie's closed door.

   "Oh my…" Dr. Quest's voice dropped to a whisper. "They weren't…"

   "No. She woke up again last night and they were talking. He just fell asleep in there."

   Dr. Quest looked somewhat wonderingly at Race. "You seem to be taking this fairly well."

   "_This_ I'm taking well. I had actually hoped it would happen. I just didn't expect that it would take what it did to make it happen. I'm gonna kill that bastard Davin."

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   "Mr. Quest, can you describe what occurred the night of September 14?"

   Jon shifted uncomfortably in the witness box before answering. "Jessie had asked me to drop her off at Rudy's Pizza Parlour at about 9.00 that night. She had told me earlier that she was planning on telling Davin that she would no longer be seeing him."

   "Did she tell you why she no longer wanted to see him?"

   "Yes."

   "And what reason did she give?"

   "She said she felt he was paying her untoward attentions."

   "Thank you. Please continue."

   "I dropped her off at around 9.00. She told me she would probably be back around 11.00. I told her to be careful and watched her get into Davin's car. Then I drove back to the Compound."

   "What occurred then?"

   "At 9.35, IRIS notified us of a distress signal coming from Jessie's watch. The police radioed us to confirm the signal and my father, Race Bannon and I got onto the helicopter to fly to the location where the signal was coming from."

   "What did you see when you got there?"

   "We arrived 10 minutes after the initial call came in. We arrived just after the police had closed in on Davin. He had stripped Jessie from the waist down and was fondling her." Jon choked on the last phrase. After clearing his throat, he continued.

   "She had been shot through the shoulder in one arm and was bleeding fairly profusely."

   "Thank you, Mr. Quest. There are no further questions." 

   They watched quietly as the prosecutor and the defence lawyer made their closing statements and the jury filed out to decide the verdict on the charges levelled against Paul Davin. The judge adjourned the court while the jury deliberated. Jon greeted Jessie with a hug. The four sat down outside the courtroom and waited.

   Several hours later, a deputy informed them that the jury had reached a decision. They filed back into the courtroom and sat down.

   "All rise for the Honourable Judge Derek Matthews," the bailiff intoned. The judge walked in and seated himself. "You may be seated." Next, the jury filed in. Judge Matthews rapped his gavel twice and the court came to order.

   "Has the jury reached a decision?" the judge asked.

   The foreman stepped forward. "We have, Your Honour." The bailiff took the envelope that the foreman handed him and gave it to the judge. The judge read the verdict impassively then returned it to the foreman.

   "Will the defendant please stand for the verdict. Mr. Foreman, will you please read the verdict." There was a shuffling of feet and scraping of chairs as Paul Davin and his lawyers stood.

   "We, the jury, find the defendant, Mr. Paul Edward Davin, guilty of all counts as charged."

   The judge rapped his gavel again. "Sentencing will take place in two weeks. Court is adjourned."

   Jessie shuddered and Jon enveloped her in an embrace. Their nightmare of five months was almost over.

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   Jon held Jessie tightly as she blinked back tears. "He's never going to hurt you again. He's never going to hurt you again," Jon whispered as he gently rocked her back and forth. Jessie just held him tighter as she blinked away unshed tears. Davin would no longer haunt her. He was going to a state penitentiary for 15 to life. She was safe. It was over. It was finally over.

   Jon buried his face in her hair. She never felt smaller and more vulnerable than when she was crying. He always felt so damn helpless when she cried. Never more than now. After coming so close to losing her, he never wanted her to hurt again. But for now, he had to be content to just hold her.

   Jon and Jessie strode arm in arm across the soft grains of Palm Key. The family had decided to stay in Palm Key the rest of the winter and had flown down on the _Dragonfly_ as soon as the sentencing was over. Jessie slept most of the way, the first time she had slept properly in five months. Jon held her hand most of the trip down. Upon arriving they had done some unpacking and rearranging, which took time. This was the first time they had had a free moment together. Jessie looked up at Jon.

   "I want to thank you," she said gently.

   "What for?" Jon was surprised.

   "For being there. The entire time. Through my nightmares and the hearings and the trial."

   Jon gave her a lop-sided grin but avoided her eyes. "What else would a best friend do?"

   Jessie stopped. "Is that all I am?" she asked quietly.

   Jon stopped as well, but still wouldn't look at her. "Do you want the truth?"

   "Yes."

   "No. That's not all you are. There's more. But I don't know what it is."

   "Basically somewhere between best friend and girlfriend?"

   "Somewhere between confidante and serious girlfriend."

   "I can settle with that."

   "You feel the same way?"

   "Why do you think I asked?"

   Jon gave another lop-sided grin but this time met her gaze. "So what do you call it?"

   "Best friends with potential."

© Navy Brat, 2003


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